'Preparation for the Next Life' Review: Moving Performances Carry Doomed Romantic Portrait
Bing Liu's talent for deconstructing and personalizing the fabric of American culture and the individuals left behind in the system's corruption is aptly demonstrated in his 2018 documentary Minding the Gap. In Preparation for the Next Life, he transitions from documentaries to narrative with his naturalistic style. This adaptation of the 2014 novel is a somber and poignant portrait of two discarded people in America (an undocumented migrant and a houseless soldier) falling for each other, but the powers that be against them and within themselves prevent them from coexisting. In other words, it's Bing Liu's "We Found Love (in a Hopeless Place)."
Image copyright (©) Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
MPA Rating: R (for language and brief sexuality.)
Runtime: 1 Hour and 56 Minutes
Production Companies: Orion Pictures, Plan B Entertainment, Pastel
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
Director: Bing Liu
Screenwriter: Martyna Majok
Cast: Sebiye Behtiyar, Fred Hechinger
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Set in NYC in (maybe) the 2010s, or perhaps now, it's frustratingly unclear: Aishe (Sebiye Behtiyar), an independent Uyghur migrant who grew up a military brat with her late Han father, migrates to America via truck. She encounters Skinner (Fred Hechinger), a discharged homeless American soldier. During an evening out, they dance, eat, drink, and compete in physical activities. Eventually, they develop a romantic relationship; however, his untreated trauma from combat becomes overwhelming, and she must contend with the dangers posed by ICE agents. Due to challenging circumstances beyond their control, their relationship becomes more difficult than either individual can manage.
Bing Liu’s filmmaking immerses you into this romantic rollercoaster
Liu employs an engaging vérité style in Preparation for the Next Life, as is traditional for many doc-to-narrative filmmakers. Aishe's perspective on her new life in America is the primary focus of the film, which is frequently interspersed with voiceover, reflecting on her relationship with her late father. His intimate lens is thoroughly engaging as he spotlights the underrepresented NYC neighborhoods that these characters navigate. Preparation mostly takes place in Flushing, Queens, where Aishe lives in a month-to-month rental apartment and works in the Jamaica Center Market to make ends meet.
Liu's vérité style also helps texture the unpredictability of the sociological dangers around Aishe and Skinner beyond their romantic escapades. Liu channels his inner Richard Linklater relatively early on with the cutesy budding romance. There is entertainment in their attraction to one another and their portrayal of their romantic night out, even though you know they're instantly doomed the moment they lock eyes. Aishe has the confidence and competitive energy, and Skinner has the reciprocating "yes ma'am” charge. While the first act's pacing is somewhat sluggish, the sexual tension and chemistry between the characters compensate.
Once their romantic bond is struck, Liu traverses from Linklater to early Chloe Zhao as he dissects the crucial pains they struggle with, dictated by their identities and environment, through tender filmmaking and subtle performances from his stars. Additionally, his groundedness is further supported by Emile Mosseri's absorbing, pianissimo keyboard-driven score.
A star is born in newcomer Sebiye Behtiyar
Preparation marks Sebiye Behtiyar's feature debut, and she is absolutely sublime. Through Aishe, she displays a great deal of self-assurance, contentment, patience, and care, demonstrating her strength and versatility. It is truly remarkable that this is her debut role, as she confidently navigates the film and leaves the audience wanting more.
Fred Hechinger, who is in just about every third movie released these days, delivers probably his career-best performance yet. He depicts Skinner in a somber and soulful manner that underscores his suffering through subtle mannerisms and frantic body movement. Granted, his character is nothing more than an impressionable man chewed up and spit out by war, but his shortcomings are overshadowed by Hechinger's charm.
Preparation For the Next Life’s paints unique romance with overfamiliar cues
The story of these oppositional individuals' pursuit of finding home and solace in each other within the unforgiving American system, without any help or guidance, is very enticing. Yet it's often executed far too simplistically and forgettably. Martyna Majok's screenplay plays its beats way too on the nose in dialogue at many key points. The film is most effective when it expresses the distressing psyches of these characters during their lowest moments, whether through the surreal imagery of Liu or the performances of the actors, more so than the dialogue. In the initial act, the dialogue is often stilted, and the story is overly (Terrence) Malickian, with an excessive amount of unnecessary frolicking. This leaves the more critical themes of belonging in America seemingly underdeveloped or even confusing.
I truly couldn't tell what time period this film takes place in. The problems that Aishe and Skinner deal with are different, but one of them is particularly representative of the last ten years and the most pressing in recent memory. It is quietly outspoken about the Bush and Obama administrations' unchecked neglect of veterans and mistreatment of undocumented migrants. One instance sees Skinner using Facebook to show Aishe a video of his late military comrade working to Jay Sean’s “Down”. Yet sometimes you'd find Skinner spiraling in Times Square, where you see billboards of modern shows.
It’s truly absurd that Preparation for the Next Life is being released at the most inopportune moment, with minimal to no marketing. No festival run or anything either, because this is the type of film you'd think would premiere at Sundance. It's arriving with no fanfare, especially considering it's an MGM/Orion movie, and Plan B and Pastel is its production arm with an Oscar-nominated filmmaker. It truly deserves more than what it's getting right now.
Final Statement
With strong performances from Sebiye Behtiyar and Fred Hechinger, Preparation for the Next Life is an impressive narrative turn for Bing Liu. It's a somber look at how the US mistreats its inhabitants, whether they are our troops coming home from war or migrants seeking a better life and yearning for more.
Please consider supporting Rendy Reviews. We’re an independent run, Gen-Z and Black-owned entertainment outlet. You can donate to our Paypal or Venmo to help keep our site running. Or become a subscriber for access to 13-years worth of reviews, exclusive interviews, and more! A free way to support is a sign up for the Rendy Reviews’ newsletter and get weekly emails about latest on movie reviews, interviews with film artisans, features, and more.
